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Poland - Regional Policy

setting up administrative structures, budget procedures, financial instruments and the necessary monitoring and control mechanisms for participating in the European Union's structural programmes.

Assessment (October 1999)

No progress has been registered in this area.

Assessment (November 2000)

Some progress has been made as regards development of regional structures and clarification of regional policy.

Assessment (November 2001)

With regard to economic and social cohesion, there has been continued progress in developing regional structures and the definition of national policy. The creation of the Ministry for Regional Development has, among other things, been an important step towards improved inter-ministerial co-ordination. It is also required that the improved budgetary system be implemented to comply with the management standards of the Structural Funds. Significant further efforts are needed in order to set up the administrative structures responsible for the structural policies and to draw up the National Development Plan.

Assessment (October 2002)

Poland has made considerable progress in preparing for the implementation of an economic and social cohesion policy. As regards territorial organisation, Poland adopted a decree on the establishment of a provisional NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units) classification, which was approved by the Commission in June 2002. Since September, several amendments to the Public Finance Act have been adopted, providing for the flexibility necessary for multi-annual programming. In March 2002, a government decision designated the managing bodies for the implementation of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund: the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance will become the managing and paying authorities, respectively. With regard to programming, Poland submitted the first draft of its National Development Plan 2004-2006 in June 2002. This plan will serve as the basis for the drafting of the Community Support Framework (CSF), which foresees six Sectoral Operational Programmes (OPs), one Integrated Regional OP and one Technical Assistance OP. In order to ensure that the partnership principle is applied, the government has initiated an extensive consultation process regarding the National Development Plan but has not yet set up the Monitoring Committee. During 2002, the government has also carried out a macro-economic impact assessment and started its ex-ante evaluation. There has been some progress as far as financial management and control are concerned following the entry into force, in January 2002, of the amendment on public finances, which provides a basis for an internal control in line with the acquis communautaire. Concerning statistics, the compilation of regional data has continued.

Poland has provisionally closed negotiations on the Regional Policy chapter without requesting any transitional periods. In order to be ready for entering the Union, it needs to strengthen the administrative capacity of the managing and paying authorities, mainly through recruitment, training and advising. The strengthening of inter-ministerial co-ordination and partnership as well as the improvement of systems and procedures for monitoring, financial management and control are crucial elements for the good functioning of the future Polish regional policy. The country needs to make further progress in drafting the programming documents and raise as a matter of urgency the level of technical preparation of future projects eligible for Structural and Cohesion Fund assistance. Furthermore, it should make the necessary efforts to comply with the acquis requirements with regard to management, monitoring, control and evaluation. The preparation of procedures for financial control, auditing, certification of expenses and correction of irregularities specific to the Structural and Cohesion Funds will continue. Finally, Poland has to draw up common guidelines for the audit services and set up internal units to apply those guidelines among the ministries involved.

Following the signing of the Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004.